[craner]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Hockey just hasn't progressed that way anymore. More emphasis is put on skill and offense than brute strength. Stevens would be....a completely average defenseman these days, whereas a guy like Niedermayer would excel even more. A part of me is glad the dumb, physical stuff is out of the game. There's always going to be some physicality involved but I get the feeling from a lot of people that really advocate for rough play that they would rather watch a fight than a hockey game.

The NHL's standard of play is better now than it's ever been.

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Agreed, the hockey you see today is so much more entertaining. If you go back and watch games from previous eras, the amount of BS (holding, slashing, elbowing, interference...) going on with every play is quite surprising and I'm thrilled they have gotten rid of it. I'm all for a big hit now and again, but when a player delivers one they are usually mobbed right away and there is either a whistle, or a fight then a whistle, and I find that it breaks up the flow of the game too much. I love the speed and creativity of the game now.

I totally agree - the game is superior now and much more enjoyable to watch.